Sheet-feeding apparatus



Jan. 14, 1930. L. c. STEELE SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS a I I I I I l I I I I I l l I I l l I 5 Sheets-Sheet l lawrm e Filed July 16, 1928 INVENTOR AT roR Y Jan. 14, 1930. L. c. STEELE SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-:Sheet 2 Filed July 16, 1928 I II MI I: nu

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1.. c STEELE SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS Filed Jul 16, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I n I Q. V, u M vital-m 1| v n 1 l INVENTOR lawrem 62672 626.

I ATTORNEY' Jan. 14, 1930;

L. C.STEEL E- 1,743,734

SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS Filed July 16, 1 928 I 5 Sheets-Sheet *4 INVENTOR.

I tau/rams I Jan. 14, 1930. L. c. STEELE 4 3,

sum-:1 FEEDING APPARATUS Y Filed July 16. 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORI lazorellaflakakg By v 4 I v ITQRNEY Patented Jan. 14, 1930 OFFICE,

LAWRENCE o. srnnnng on Becomes, new Yoii n s'H EET rEEn-me APrARA'r'Us Application filed July 1c; 1928. Serial No. 293,141.

My invention relates to apparatus for re moving metallic sheets from a bos'h and for feeding them in succession to a tinning machine, the apparatus beingof the general type disclosed and claimed in my application, Serial No. 741,664, filed October 4;, 1924, and

which is characterized by the capabilities of removing sheets directly from a pickler bosh and of feeding them directly to the feed rolls of a tin'mng machine. An obge'ct of my pres-' ent invention is to provide, in a feed mechanism of this character,- an endless chain or belt h'aving vacuum cups extendingfrom the outer surface thereof for engaging and removing sheetsin succession from a pack.

A. further object of my invention is to pro vi'de mechanism for removing sheets from a hosh' andfeeding them to a'tinning machine which incorporates endless belt or chain means having vacuum cups for engaging and removing sheets from a bosh together With pinch roll mechanism located adjacent to the discharge end of the endless'belt'or chain in order topositlvely and gradually strip sheet :3 from the vacuum cupsl I A further obj ectof my invention is to provide automatic feeding mechanism for the sheet removal apparatus:

These and other objects will be apparent from the following description and accom-' panying' drawings, forming a' part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing sheet removal apparatus with my improvementapplied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of apparatus-shown in Fig. 1; r

Figs. 3 and f my improvement Fig. 5 is a detail view, showing rneans for supporting and adjusting the vacuum cup chain; I

Figs. 6, 7, 8 andi9 are detail views showing different types of arrangements of vacuum cups" with respect to supporting chains, 7

are detail sectional views of being a; sectional vieW taken-along the line 77 of Fig; 6; v e V F ig; 10 is a detail View of thfeedpawl-and its associated eccentric; and

Figs. 11 and 12 are detail views'of the pawl 0 lifter.

Referring to the drawings more'in detail, in Fig. 1, it show, in dotted lines, inlet feed rolls 10 of a tinning machine: together with apparatus for removing sheets f-roma pickle-r bosh 11 andfeeding such sheets insucces'slon' to the rolls 10. .This apparatus includes a' frame 12 pivoted, at 1'3, Witlrrespect to lat eral supports or standards 14,the frame'hav-i ing extensible and coritrajctible conveyor apparatus, at 15, as set forth in my application aforesaid, and my improved sheet removal apparatus, at 16. The chains" of the extensible and contractible conveyor, at" 15', and the movingparts of the sheet removal apparatus, at I6, receive power from a power shaft 17 the latter shaft being connected by means of sprocket gearing 18 to a sihaft19, Which is connected, by meansof bevelgearing 20, to a shaft 2'1,thelatter shaft being conne'cted by bevel gearing, at 22am 23',- to the cross shafts" 24 and 25, respectively,th,'e latter shafts being the power shafts ofth'e telescopic conveyors The power shaft 24 is connected by sprocket -gearing26 to the power shaft 27 of the sheet pending portion 30 which is adapted to extend Within the pickler bosh 11' between one side thereof and a pack ofsheets'31- arranged therein; The carriage28hasthe power shaft 27 journaled therein and it supports the sheet adhering and removal means,v deflector ap pa'rat us responsive to resistance to fiexure whereby the feeding of doubled sheets or sheets which are too stiff to the tinning machine may be avoided, and automatic feeding mechanism actuated from the power shaft 27 for feeding the carriage toward the pack.

Referring to the sheet adhering and removal apparatus, this consists essentially of an endless belt or sprocket chain 32 engaging over a sprocket wheel 33 carried by the shaft 27 and vacuum cups 34, which extend outwardly from the outer surface of the belt or chain 32. In order that a part of the chain may be presented as a portion moving in a rectilinear path in front of the pack andin order that the cups may be urged toward the pack, I show the lower portion of the chain 32 passing over idler sheaves 35 and 36, the sheaves 35 and 36 being carried by a frame 37 suspended from and capable of moving angularly with respect to the power shaft 27 The sheave 35 is arranged above the sheave 36 and forwardly of the latter so as to define a rectilinear and upwardly moving portion of the chain which is so related with respect to the sheets of the pack 31 as to secure proper removal thereof. The lower sheave 36 is carried by an axle bolt 38 which may be adjusted in the slots 39 in order to secure proper adjustment of the chain 32.

To strip the sheets from the vacuum cups i 34 and referring to Fig. 3, it will be seen that pinch rolls 41 and 42 are disposed adjacent to the upper end of the chain 32, the pinch roll 41 being made in two parts 41 and 41", carried by the power shaft 27 and disposed at opposite sides of the driving sprocket 33 for the vacuum cup chain. The rolls 41 and 42 are arranged to, strip an adhering sheet, 31 in Fig. 3, from the vacuum cups and to feed the latter either to the deflector or to the conveyor apparatus. The driving roll 41 is of a radius greater than the maximum radius of the outermost portions of the vacuum cups 34 moving angularly with respect to the shaft 27 so that, as a sheet comes up, the upper edge thereof first contacts with the peripheries of the rolls 41 and 42; and, since the latter sections are of greater radius than the radius of a cup with respect to the axis of the shaft 27, such sections tend to urge the plate rearwardly toward the bite of the rolls 41 and 42, thereby starting the stripping action and facilitating the removal and upward feeding of sheets by the pinch rolls 41 and 42.

Mechanism is provided for maintaining the sheet removing apparatus in operative relationship to the pack. This mechanism includes means for feeding the carriage relative to frame 12 as the sheets are removed from the pack, and also means for preventing the feeding action becoming excessive. The purpose, of course, is to maintain such a relationship between chain 32 and the pack 31 that the vacuum cups may be brought against the pack with sufficient pressure and yet not have it become excessive. To this end I provide an operatively driven feeding mechanism actuated from the power shaft 27 with means for occasionally interrupting the feeding action to prevent the movement of the carriage becoming excessive. Referring to Fig. 4, it will be seen that the drive shaft 27 is operatively related to a pawl 43 which engages with a rachet rack 44 carried by the frame 12. As shown in Fig. 10, the drive shaft 27 has an eccentric 45 mounted thereon which engages in a bearing carried by the pawl 43. With this arrangement, rotation of the drive shaft 27 results in reciprocatory ac- .tuation of the pawl 43; and, if the latter engages with the stationary rachet teeth 44, such pawl serves to impart forward feeding motion .to the carriage 28 and toward the pack.

To automatically interrupt the forward feed of carriage 28 when it has proceeded to the desired extent, advantage is taken of the angular movement of frame 37 with respect to shaft 27; this relative angular movement being due to the pack 31 preventing the forward movement of frame 37 while frame 28 is being moved forward.

The pawl 43 is lifted to an inoperative position with respect to the ratchet teeth 44 in response to movement of the frame 37 angularlywith respect to the shaft 27, such angular movement being resisted by a spring, or other suitable energy storage device, so that the resistance of such energy storage device notlonly controls the maximum pres sure of the cups against the sheets but also serves as a source of energy to maintain engagement of such cups under pressure with the sheets during the intervals when the pawl is lifted.

Referring to Figs. 4, 11 and 12, it will be seen that a pawl lifter 46 is provided with an inclined lifter portion 47 for lifting the pawl, 43 out of engagement with the ratchet teeth 44. This pawl lifter is operatively connected by means of a link 48 to a three-arm lever 49 pivoted at 50 on carriage 28, the link 48 engaging with the arm 51 thereof. The lever 49 has an arm 52 attached to one end oi'a spring 53, the other end of the spring 53 being connected to any suitable tension varying device 54. The third arm 55 of the lever construction 49 is connected, by meansof a link 56, to a crank arm 57 carried by the shaft 59 (see Fig. 5) which has connected to its other end a crank arm 60 having a slot 61' therein for engagement about the pintle or extension 62 preferably extending from one end of the axle bolt 63 for holding the sheave 35 in place. In order to positively limit movement of the frame 37 and to properly hold the associated apparatus in position, I show a stationary adjustable bracket 64 connected to the depending portion 30 and having an oblong slot therein forengag'ement about the pintle or projection '62; V

fissuhiing" that the careia ees' being fedforwa'rd by engagement of th'epawl' 4:3 with thera chet teeth 44; and that the vacuuni cups 34 are in initial engagenient vvithsheets of the pack 31; siich feetling nio'tionfi tvi'll result in an increasein pressuieof the cups against sheets of the pack. As the carriage 28 rhbvesfor itar'dly' the resistance to movement of frames? prodiices a relative angul'af movementbetween theiii thereby produc- 111g a tilting ofstart 59 in acounter-clockwise direction, as viewedin'Fig'. 4, With resuitingcounter-clockwisemevemene of mem- 57 and 49' This-6 f eotir'se results in spring 58 beingplacedniider tension; hen

the tilting iiiotiofrs" just referred to proceed to a predetermined angular extent the'jarr'n pawl 43 out or engagement 'vvi-tli the rachet teeth 4 th-r'eby ieterru'ptin g forward feed iirg of carriage 28. Obviously sprin 53;

I and a resulting gradual-Incrementofiink e8 and pawl lifter 46 onto)? itsflliftifng engage-' meet with pawl 48; whereby this pawl is again brought into feeding engagement with rachet teetli Ljlto resume the forward feed Oi 28: i

'lhus time is -sec'ured an intermittent feed of the carriage; the feeding movementcon tinuing untiithe' pressure of the cups on the pack reaches acertain' amn'u'nt, the feeding then beia' 'interrupted until theipressure has again dnippd to the desired extentwhen' the feeding action wiii againcontinue, and so on; \Vith apparatus of this? character, 1tis desirable that the feeding o'fdoubled sheets;

sheets which are: too thick; or" sheets which are too hard or stiff shall be avoid edg To this end, I provide on't he carriageQS, and arrang-ea above the pincl'rroli's 41 and &2, sheet deflector apparatus of the general type disclosedand claimed in niy-applihatibn Serial No. 705,407,7filed April-9,1924? This appa rat-us includes a flexureresponsive deflector plate 68 carried by an angular-1y movable shaft 69, the latter shaft having: connected thereto lever ar1ns-70 and 71 and a spring 72 having. one enclronnected to thearrn While its other end is connected to any suitable tension varying means ta, the'spring being effective torna'intain the plate 68 in a position engagingflthe outer end of the sta-' tioiiar'y 1eflect r67-, s iridi'cated in Fig, 3. Arranged abhveand forwardly of the flex'ure responsive plate 68, there" is a svvltch plate 75 having a sharp edge 76 and." pivotally edge of the fieirure responsive plate 68 being spacedapart and adapted forrela-tive" movemerit simultaneously in op osite directions: A crank arm ?8 is connectedtotlie'switch plate 75, this arm beingprovided" with a pl'u-i ra'lity of openings 79 arranged at different radial distances from the axis of the pivotal support '77. In like manner, the crankarni 71 is provided with a pluralityof openings 74 arranged at different radial distances from the axis of the shaft 692 A variable length link 80is adapted to'be connect'edbetweenthe" levers 71 and 78, the link having Vpi'ns'81; and 82 to fit, respectively,- in the' openings 74' and 79 and having an intermediate turn buckle 83wvhereby its length maybe varied;

As each sheet, for example, sheet 31 in" Fig. 8, passjesupvvardly from the pinch rolls 41' and42, it engages the stationary deflector 67, whereby it is given a" slight deflection to 7 Wardthe conveyor apparatus'and engagesthe movable deflector or flexure responsive plate creased resistance astilting proceeds. Dh:

to the connecting'linka'ge bet vv eeri thegde'fl ec tor or fierrnre responsive plate 68 and the switch plate 7-5, Whenever the" plate 'cs'movesangularly, the opposededges of the plates 68 and 7 511love in opposite clirectioiisi Hence; if the deflector or fiexure responsive plate 68 moves sufiiciently iiiflavclbckWise direction that a sheet is deflected'fon to the back surf-ace 7 5 of the switch plate 7 5, sin ch} a sheetthe'n' passes along the back surface-15 and is directedby the stationary giantess-and 85 into the bite of the" rolls 86 and 87,-the roll 86being driven by sprocket gearing 88 from shaft 27. After leaving the rolls '861 and 87 a sheet deflected by the curved deflect-or 89 on to the catcher 90 fromfyvvhich sheets may be reino'vedfroni time totime as desired.

Should relative movement of the adjaceht edg'esof the deflector or flexure responsive plate 68 and of the"s vtitch plate 75 not be" great enough w direct sheets to v the rolls 86 and 87, then such sheets it' ill by the forward face 75 of the stviteh'plate and be plates'ni'ay be had; Also,:a s the deflector or" flexure' responsive plate 68- is'located quite near to the pinch rolls 4 1 and t2, the eflfect of the moment arm betweentlieplate" 68 and the bite of the" pinch rolls is" not very great and resistance tofleriure thereforeo emestol the best advantage to secure movement of cups 34: arranged thereon for engagement substantially medially of the plates of a pack. Any suitable arrangement of vacuum cups on the chain may be employed. In Figs. 6 and 7, I show pairs of vacuum cups 34 arranged in opposed relation and carried by the sides of the chain- In Fig. 8, cups 34' are carried at each side of the chain but they 7 are staggered. In Fig. 9, a single row of cups 34" is disposed substantially centrally of the chain.

An important feature of my invention is the disposal of the endless carrier with its vacuum cups in such a manner relative to the pack that the rectilinear path of feed of the plates from the pack is somewhat inclined to the face of the pack. As shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, sheave 35 is somewhat 'in advance of sprocket wheel 33, as a result of which the path taken by chain32 between the sheave 35 and sprocket 33 is somewhat inclined to the face of the pack. As the chain moves over sheave 35 the suction cups successively engage the outermost sheet of the pack, passing forwardly in astraight path carrying thesheets. This rectilinear path being inclined to the face of the pack the upward movement of the chain with its suction cups gradually. deflects the plate from the path, the space between the outermost plate and the pack gradually widening upwardly of the pack. This arrangement gives a distinct advantage. The space between the fed plate and the pack allows the entry of fluid there between. This greatly reduces the friction between the plate being removed and the pack, allowing the fed plate to be slipped easily from the pack and to be carried therefrom by the carrier.

From the foregoing,

it will be apparent that I haveprovided apparatus for remov ing sheets from a pack, which consists ofa carriage movable transversely of the pack, the carriage being provided with sheet removal means capable of angular displacement relatively thereto, angular displacement of the sheet removal means taking place due to operation of the feed mechanism for the carriage, and such angular motion resulting in the storage of energy in a spring and, after it has proceeded to a predetermined extent, rendering the feed mechanism ineffective, whereupon the spring means is then efiective to move the sheet removal -means angularly in the other direction to maintain contact with the sheets of a pack until it is displaced relatively to the carriage to such a position that the feed mechanism is again rendered effective.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is;

1. In mechanism for removing sheets from a pack to a metal coating machine, the combination of a carrier movable in a rectilinear path which is in a direction crosswise of theally of the carrier and disposed in a serles lengthwise of the path of movement of the.

carrier for successively engaging the sheets of the pack. I r

2. In mechanismfor removing sheets from a pack to a metal coating machine, the combination of an endless carrier having a portion thereof arranged to move in a path having a direction crosswise of the face of the pack and inclined thereto, vacuum cup means on the :carrier for successive engagement with sheets of the pack, means for operating the carrier to secure successive withdrawal of sheets from the pack, and means for moving the endless carrier toward the pack to maintain engagement of the vacuum cups with sheets thereof.

3. In mechanism for removing sheets from a pack to a metal coating machine, the combination of a support movable toward and from the pack, an endless carrier carried by the support and having a portion thereof ar- 1 ranged to travel in a path having a direction crosswise of the face of the pack and inclined thereto, vacuum cups carried by the endless carrier for engagement with sheets of the pack, means for operating the endless carrier to secure successive withdrawal of sheets from the pack by the vacuum cups, and means for moving the support to secure continuous engagement of the vacuum cups with sheets of the pack.

4. In mechanism for removing sheets from a pack to a metal coating machine, the combination of a carrier movable in a rectilinear path which is in a direction crosswise of the face of the pack, and vacuum cups carried by and projecting laterally of the carrier and disposed in a series lengthwise of the path of movement of the carrier for successively engaging the sheets of the pack.

5. In mechanism for removing sheets from a pack to a metal coating machine, the combination of a carrier movable in a rectilinear path which is in a direction crosswise of the face of the pack, a plurality of vacuum cups carried by the carrier for successive engagement with sheets of the pack, and means for moving the carrier, toward the pack for adhesion means with respect to the drive shaft when said belt means and adhesion means move in a curved path about said drive Wheel.

16. In a'device for removing sheets from a pack, the combination of a drive shaft, a sprocket wheel carried thereby, a sprocket chain engaging the sprocket wheel, guide means for distending the sprocket chain and cooperating with the sprocket wheel to provide a chain portion movable substantially parallel to the pack, vacuum cups carried by the chain, and roll means carried by the drive shaft at opposite sides of said sprocket wheel, said roll means being of greater radiusthan the radius of the outermost portions of'the V vacuum cups with respect to the axis of the drive shaft when the cups move in a curved path about the sprocket wheel.

17. In a device for removing sheets from a pack, the combination of a driving shaft, a sprocket wheel carried thereby, a sprocket chain engaging the sprocket wheel, guide means for distending the sprocket chain and cooperating with the sprocket wheel to'provide a chain portion movable substantially parallel to the pack, vacuum'cups carried by the chain, roll means carried by the drive shaft at opposite sides of said sprocket wheel, said roll means being of greater radius than the radius of the outermost portions of the vacuum cups with respect to the axis of the drive shaft when the vacuum cups move in a curved path aboutthe sprocket wheel, and second roll means engaged by the first roll means.

18. In a device for removing sheets from a pack, the combination of movable adhesion means, means for feeding the adhesion means in a direction transversely of the pack, and means responsive to displacement of the adhesion means relatively to the feeding means beyond a predetermined extent and in a direction transversely of the pack for rendering the feeding means ineffective.

19. In a device for removing sheets from a pack, the combination of a carriage movable transversely of the pack, movable adhesion means on the carriage for engaging sheets of the pack in'succession forremoving them, said adhesionmeans including a part movable relatively to the carriage, feed mechanism for the'carriage, and means responsive to relative movement of said part of the adhesion means with respect to the carriage beyond a predetermined extent for rendering the feed mechanism ineffective.

, 20. In a device for removing sheets from a pack, the combination of movable adhesion means for removing sheets from the pack in succession, energy-storage -means for maintainingengagement of the adhesion means with sheets of thepack, feed-mechanism for feeding the adhesion means toward the pack and for supplying energy to the storage means in consequence of movement of the adhesion means relative to the feed mechanism brought about by resistance to movement of the adhesion means by the pack in the direction of feeding, and means responsive to saidrelative movement beyond apredetermined extent for rendering the feed mechanism ineffective.

21. In a device for removing sheets from a pack, the combination of a carriage, movable adhesion means on the carriage for removing-sheets from the pack, energy-storage means tending to cause movement of the adhesion meansrelatively to the carriage toward the pack for maintaining engagement of the adhesion means with sheets thereof, feed mechanism for feeding the carriage toward the pack and for supplying energy to the storage means in consequence of movement of the adhesion means relatively to the carriage due to feed motion imparted to the latter, and means responsive to said relative movement beyond a predeterminedextent for rendering the feed mechanism ineffective.

22. In a device for removing sheets from v a pack, the combination of a carriage, movable adhesion means onthe carriage for removing sheets from the pack, a spring tending to cause movement of the adhesion means relatively to the carriage and toward the pack 7 p to maintain engagement of the adhesion means with sheets thereof, feed mechanism for feeding the carriage toward the pack and for storing energy in said spring due to relative movement taking place between the carriage and the adhesion means due to the engagement of the latter with the pack, and means responsive to said relative movement beyond a predetermined extent for rendering the feed mechanism ineffective.

23. In a device for removing sheets from a pack, the combination of guideways extending transversely of the pack, a carriage supported by the guideways, adhesion means on the carriage for removing sheets from the [pack and capable of displacement relative to 'versely of the pack, a driving shaft jour- 'naled on the carriage, a sprocket wheel carried by the shaft, a sprocket chain engaging the sprocket wheel, guide means for maintaining the sprocket chain distendedwith a portion thereof substantially parallel to the pack and angularly movable with respect to the carriage, yieldable means cooperating With the guide means and tending to move the chain toward the pack, vacuum cups carried by the chain for engagement With sheets of the pack, feed mechanism for feeding the carriage toward the pack, and means responsive to angular movement of the guide means relatively to the carriage to a predetermined extent to render the feed mechanism ineffective.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

LAWRENCE C. STEELE. 

